Chapter 59 : Chapter 59

Chapter 59 - The Empress of Blood

[Eclipse. The family shall possess it.]

A voice was heard from all 16 directions: front, back, left, right, up, and down.

It was my father's voice, the words of the Millesdusk Family Head.

The youngest son, the Fifth Son, replied.

“As a direct blood relative of Millesdusk, I am a possession of the family and belong to the family. Since it is the Eclipse that I obtained, how would it be different from the family possessing it?”

[It is different.]

A few words were added after the short reply.

[Because the one managing Eclipse will be Dante Black Millesdusk.]

A statement with many implied meanings.

I knew what it meant without having to ask.

“I know that you do not trust me. There is probably no one in the family who trusts me completely.”

[You know well. Could I entrust a land that will become a pillar of the family to such a person? Speaking not as a father, but as the Family Head.]

“You cannot.”

[In that case, Eclipse will be the family's—]

“But that is why.”

The Family Head's words were cut off in the middle.

A low but boyish voice continued what followed.

“Because no one, inside or outside the family, trusts me. Everyone can make an objective judgment about me and make an objective investment.”

[An objective investment…. Is that choice of words a struggle to turn a demonic realm into a domain?]

The Family Head knew.

The Eclipse Domain plan.

A space named a domain that not just a veteran player, but a rotten-water player, would obtain in the latter half of Act 1.

It was a crazy plan to obtain it at a distance where even the middle of Act 1 was barely within reach.

A domain was a big deal that even created its own management window, so it had to be obtained someday.

Naturally, the earlier it was obtained, the better, and the better the land obtained, the better.

In that sense, Eclipse?

It was a land good enough for even the Family Head, Kulsian Black Millesdusk, to covet.

That is why he continued to speak in a calm tone, without highs or lows.

“You are right, Family Head. This is the struggle of the weak. And quite a few have died, crushed by such struggles.”

[…….]

This time, the voice was cut off voluntarily.

Those who died, crushed by the struggle.

The next chairman of Dusk Citadel, as well as the Physicians' Council and its chairman.

The Fourth Son's butler was as good as dead at his hands, and he even butted heads with the demon of the demonic realm that no one even thought of conquering.

Furthermore, even the half-human, half-demon Balum family, which belonged to the family, suffered near-extinction damage.

The Family Head's eyes saw it.

He saw the demonic energy flowing within the Youngest Son's body.

[The Balum family, who died in your struggle. The demon's power obtained in such a way. With that, you used a method close to a shortcut to subjugate the demon of the altar. You used your head a lot for a struggle.]

“Isn't that the way Millesdusk has survived?”

[…What did you say.]

“The First Family Head, who came alone to the east, which was the land of demon worshipers. For him, every day was a struggle for survival. But it was a struggle that used this.”

In the darkness, I tapped my temple.

Thinking and contemplating even a little more than others shortens the thorny path.

The Family Head asked, not with anger, but in a tone that showed no emotion.

[Can such a great opportunity be placed on the back of someone who jumps off a cliff every day?]

“Even if one jumps off a cliff every day, below it there are sharp rocks, but there is also a deep sea.”

Suicide and diving are a hair's breadth apart.

The head judges what might be down there.

And insight confirms what that 'what' is.

Thus, a safe gamble is completed.

“Family Head. Please listen. The Eclipse Domain is not impossible.”

[I know.]

The Family Head gave his plain agreement.

Because someone else had given their agreement first, and his agreement was trustworthy.

[Otherwise, there's no way that money-grubber Jubel Maxman would stick by your side, youngest one.]

‘As expected.’

The Youngest Son nodded inwardly.

There's no way the Family Head wouldn't trust the man who brings in the highest profits for the family's merchant troupe.

Even more so if he's a man who hit the highest profits without pledging loyalty to any other blood relative.

‘It was a good choice to gain Jubel's trust first. This is why skip elements are important.’

Skip elements.

Elements that let you skip the intermediate processes.

By gaining Jubel Maxman's trust, I condensed the long persuasion process.

By obtaining Demonization, I subjugated the demon of the altar without fighting it directly.

‘I'm behind others, so I can't run at the same pace as them.’

So, a different speed from others is bound to stand out somehow.

To the one who observes all from the heavens, it is even more visible.

That is why he is testing me.

[One who builds a tower quickly has a weak foundation and base, full of flaws.]

But the Youngest Son was different.

[Dante, you know perfectly well where to place the stones. At this time, this moment, you have accurately grasped which stone and what kind of stone to place.]

“Thank you.”

[As if it were a tower you had built many times before.]

“……”

I bowed my head as if that couldn't be true.

A cold sweat was hidden along with it.

Whether he knew that or not, the Family Head continued.

[Dante. Your recent actions have been giving me pleasure.]

“I am only grateful.”

[I even laughed at the information that you had normalized Eclipse.]

He expressed it politely as a laugh, but in reality, it was much bigger.

If the General Manager of Intelligence had been here as usual, he would have been so surprised he would have fainted.

If the skull that made up the Demon Head Palace had been alive, he had laughed so hard it would have felt a headache.

[That is why a test was needed. There were plenty of things in the world that brought me as much disappointment as they gave me pleasure.]

Marrow was revealed in the darkness.

That hand, which had only bony joints, somehow felt warm.

[You are indeed my son.]

That warmth gently stroked the dark purple hair.

Would it break if I squeezed it hard?

He caressed it gently, as if touching a small squirrel.

…To be honest, this time I was surprised.

‘Kulsian. Did he have this side to him?’

His love for his children was famous.

For not loving his children.

He was famous within Millesd-usk, so how much of a cold-blooded man must he seem to others.

The reason why there were particularly few collateral branches in this generation among the blood relatives was because he had played a major role.

Because if he saw a bud that could become a danger, he would stomp on it without hesitation.

But that eye for detecting danger turned into insight after he became the Family Head and had children.

‘Did I pass his insight?’

In other words, it means that if I had encountered a younger Kulsian, I would have died on the spot.

It was slightly creepy, but I felt my father's affection as much as that coolness.

Because he had also aged.

[Were you scared?]

Words that would make the General Manager of Intelligence faint came out once more.

The words spoken in a warm tone now even felt awkward.

I could tell because I had seen Kulsian as a player.

“You can stop the test now.”

[…….]

“I may be young, but I don't have a weakness for family affection. I won't fall for this kind of trap, so please rest assured.”

[…That's certainly. A relief.]

The marrow that had hardened in mid-air hid back into the darkness.

Frost once again coated his voice.

[Dante Black Millesdusk. I acknowledge you as the lord of Eclipse.]

“Thank you. I will strive to meet your expectations.”

[However, Eclipse is yours, so from management to growth, it is all your responsibility. You know what that means, right.]

“Of course.”

[You may leave.]

“I will bring you good news. Soon.”

[Is it related to that Wisdom illegitimate daughter? To think the youngest would be the first to marry.]

“…Excuse me?”

[If not, then forget it.]

Nothing was visible, shrouded in darkness, but.

For some reason, I kept thinking that the mouth below the golden eyes I had just seen would be smiling.

“…I will take my leave.”

I stood up from my seat and came out.

The room, which I thought was once again left alone, actually had two people in it.

If the night emperor on the current continent is the Millesdusk Family Head.

A being who has long held the position as the empress of night and blood.

The Vampire Queen stood behind Kulsian, her arms wrapped around him.

“Our son is cold. Is it because he takes after you?”

[…That's enough joking around.]

“He's an incredible younger man, yet he's trying to take an older woman as his wife, just like you?”

[…….]

The Empress of Blood smiled playfully, or perhaps seductively.

No Family Head's wife could do this.

But as she said, the Millesdusk Family Head was not even a newborn baby to the empress.

And the son she had seen once as a true newborn and then sent away.

[Do you see the qualities of a Lord in him?]

To her husband's question.

The wife tilted her head slightly.

“Well now. I wonder about that. Still, as his mother, I've never given him a birthday present.”

The empress lifted the arm wrapped around the Family Head's neck.

Something that could be wine or blood wet her red lips.

“It wouldn't be bad to give him one now.”

***

Time gradually flowed, and a month passed.

The Land General Manager and the Construction General Manager reported on the situation once a week and discussed problems.

Most of those problems could be solved by Jubel.

Materials that took time to procure, skilled workers, he solved them in an instant.

The workers smelled a bit like dog fur for some reason, but they did their job really well.

To the point where I doubted if they were human.

“The Jubel Maxman's Merchant Troupe. The active cooperation of the Land General Manager and the Construction General Manager. And recently, with the addition of Miss Josephine, the domain is being constructed rapidly.”

I nodded at the Head Maid's words.

[Domain Completion: 17%]

The system also informed me of the moment with a numerical value.

While that progressed towards 100.

The Youngest Son was preoccupied with strengthening his foundation.

With a lot of time and a lot of money, I bought the necessary things for elixirs.

The elixir combination was solved by the Chairman of the Physicians’ Council, who had become an Undead Private Soldier.

[Absorbed Mid-grade Soul Orb.]

[Soul Defense increases.]

[Absorbed Mid-grade Spirit Mixture Powder.]

[Soul Control increases.]

….

….

“It would be convenient if I became a Spirit Sorcerer, but without a suitable heart, it's right to raise my defense for now.”

The attacks of a ghost wielded by a Spirit Sorcerer are indefensible.

Because it is the attack of a spirit body.

That attack touches and pokes a person's soul, inflicting immense mental damage.

But too much of anything can be a poison.

I took a moderate amount of today's elixir and went down to the basement.

It was a place I didn't usually come to, but recently a guest had appeared.

“Halsin Morpheor.”

“Just kill me. Why do you keep coming and bothering me.”

“I told you. Your son is alive.”

“I saw my son's corpse clearly. I saw the dead body of my son who was killed by you.”

There was not a speck of lie in those words.

But there was also a living son.

“Did you live so cleanly. Halsin.”

“……”

“There is a son you don't know about in the world.”

“…You crazy bastard.”

He throws a curse and turns his head.

He has an expression as if he has a guess.

The face he made yesterday and the day before yesterday.

Halsin repeated his words again today.

“Bring him before me.”

“No. It won't trigger then.”

“What is it that won't trigger? Have you planted a curse on my body?”

“Where is the guy who feeds a guy who planted a curse whatever he wants to eat? Then negative emotions won't be generated.”

“……”

The empty peanut butter jars scattered on the floor explained that.

His cheeks had gained weight from how well he had eaten and slept in the basement.

As expected, when you need to gain weight in a hurry, that peanut butter was the best.

To get back to the point.

“If you promise me that you will go to meet him yourself, I will release you. I've said that for a month.”

“I've replied for a month that I would do so.”

“Yes. Although it was a lie.”

But it seems to have changed a bit today.

“It seems you've finally started to wonder. The reason you must continue to live in this world.”

“If you're lying, I'll kill you.”

“Do as you please. But you'll have to take a number. There are so many people who want to kill me besides you.”

I snapped my fingers.

A scythe that shot out from the ground sharply cut the shackles.

His clothes, which Lubosch had washed cleanly, were hanging there.

Halsin, who had roughly picked them up and put them on, asked.

“…Where do I have to go?”

I replied with a smile.

“Levering Firearms.”

The hidden quest that would be generated by the meeting of the two figures was there.

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